In one type of child-resistant package used for packaging products that might be harmful to children, two piece closures are provided, one part of the closure being adapted to be threaded onto and off of the container and the other part of the closure being constructed and arranged so that the two parts must be operated in a particular fashion in order to remove the closure rather than merely rotating the part that is grasped.
Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a child-resistant package which comprises a plastic closure which will effectively provide a child-resistant feature; wherein the parts can be readily removed from a mold without having complex molds; wherein the child-resistant construction is sturdy enough to withstand numerous openings and closings, top loading and abuse without impairing the child-resistant feature; wherein the closure is constructed and arranged so that the only driving access is through rotation of the ring and manipulation thereof in an unscrewing direction; and wherein the closure will readily retain a liner.
In accordance with the invention, the child-resistant package comprises a container having a neck with threads thereon and a child-resistant closure. The closure comprising a cap made of organic plastic material and having a top wall and a peripheral skirt. The skirt has threads thereon adapted to engage the threads of the container. The skirt has a radial flange and a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions on the upper surface of the radial flange. The closure also comprises a ring telescoped over the cap and surrounding the skirt of the cap. The ring has a plurality of lugs extending upwardly from the radial flange of the cap and adapted to engage the depressions upon application of a downward force on the ring. Each depression on the radial flange having a substantially vertical surface at one circumferential end adapted to be engaged by a lug on the ring when the ring is rotated in a direction to thread the cap onto the container. Each depression on the radial flange of the closure also has an inclined surface at the other circumferential end such that upon mere rotation of the ring in a direction to unthread the closure from the container results in the lugs on the ring sliding up the inclined surfaces so that the closure can only be removed by a combined downward force on the ring and rotational force in the direction of threading the closure off of the container.